Withering Death, Blooming Life
by Habit
Summary: Tears slowly started to form in her eyes until they blinded her. The tears started falling and she couldn’t make them stop, so she closed her eyes. She could hear Naruto ranting, but none of that mattered…he was dead. exert from story M FOR A REASON!


**A/N: This is something that plagued me while I was at my internet-less grandparent's house. It's not connected to anything else I have written, just something that popped up after I watched the Shipuuden episodes where Gaara died. TT i was soooooo sad when i watched it.**

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Sakura stood frozen as she stared at the body of the young man she had slowly started to fall in love with. Tears slowly started to form in her eyes until they blinded her. The tears started falling and she couldn't make them stop, so she closed her eyes. She could hear Naruto ranting, but none of that mattered…_he_ was dead. She heard cruel laughter and her eyes snapped open to see the blonde man sitting on top of him…a smile on his face. Her eyes widened as disbelief and then anger flowed through her. She could feel white hot rage pouring through her. She then saw the blonde smacking him on the side of the face, taunting Naruto. The blonde did not seem to notice the effect he was having on the pink haired woman, but the old woman beside her did.

"You loved him…didn't you?" the woman asked quietly. Sakura's eyes widened and she looked over at the woman covertly. There was sadness on the woman's face and pity in her eyes. She noticed that Sasori did not take his eyes off of Chiyo, so she just nodded. She didn't think she could have answered if she had wanted to. Sakura watched as Naruto tried to advance and save his friend. She, too, wanted to go to their fallen friend, but she knew better than to let anyone know.

The next few minutes passed in a blur as she watched that damned blonde manhandle the young man that she loved, who was currently lying on the ground, cold and lifeless. She could do nothing but watch as the giant bird scooped up the lifeless body of the normally calm and collected red head. She watched, hopelessly, as the bird took off and flew out of the cave. She wanted to give chase, to at least get his body back, but she couldn't leave Elder Chiyo to face the other guy alone. She watched Naruto and Kakashi give chase and prayed that they would catch up with the blonde.

She also hoped that Naruto wouldn't kill him…she wanted a go at the man for his crimes against her red headed Kazekage. She could tell there was talking going on around her, she knew one wrong move would spell their doom, but she couldn't help but wonder if he had been afraid while he had been alone, having the very essence that made him who he was sucked out of his body, and being powerless to stop it. Her fists clenched and she vowed that these men, these Akatsuki, would pay for harming him.

Her fight with Sasori flew by, until she encountered his explosives that she was sure would take her life. _His_ face flashed before her eyes, his thick red hair, his solemn face, beautiful jade eyes…she hadn't wanted to die, she wanted to avenge him…she screamed his name, wanting him to come back to her.

"GAARA!" Sakura sat bolt upright, sweat drenching her body. She knew she had screamed aloud, knew that someone would be rushing to check on her soon. She was breathing hard, the memory of her grief and anger and resolve lingering. She still remembered how her heart had died with the redhead; despite the fact she had tried to make herself believe she still loved Sasuke.

A strong arm wrapped around her waist and a muffled growl had her looking to her side. She smiled at her bedmate, knowing how much he despised being woken up. There was a knock at the door and a soft inquiry, which Sakura was quick to dismiss. She felt her partner nuzzling her stomach and looked down at him once more. She smiled again and ran her hands through his hair, loving the feel of it as it slid through her fingers.

"You screamed…why?" It was such a simple question, but there was curiosity in it. She knew he would not let her off easily, not after having woken him up with her pain filled scream. She sighed and looked out at the full moon. Sadness crept its way into her eyes. Gaara had loved the full moon so much…Sakura shook her head and looked down at the man in her bed. She shook her head and lay down once more.

"It was a nightmare…a nightmare about the past. Things best not dwelled upon." She whispered as he laid his head on her chest. She sighed again and wrapped her arms around his head, stroking his hair absentmindedly. She heard his rumble of approval and giggled quietly. She felt him nuzzling her and then she felt his mouth on her nipple, suckling gently. She moaned and dug her hands into his thick hair. He growled in pleasure and cupped her other breast in his hand. She gasped and arched into him, wanting more the moment he touched her.

"You like that, my little blossom?" he purred, his hot tongue licking a path from her breast to her shoulder, where he scraped his teeth. She hissed at the slight pain, but that just made the whole experience that much more pleasurable. She lifted her hips against his, making him groan at the feel of her naked body against his. He started rubbing his growing erection against her heat and growling at the sensual friction. She was unprepared when he took her mouth in an unbelievably tender and hot kiss. It was like he was apologizing for something.

She kissed him back, kissed him with all the love she had for him. Tears started leaking from her eyes as memories of her nightmare assailed her. She kissed him frantically; holding on to him so tightly that, had he been a normal man, would have crushed him. She felt his confusion at her tears and broke the kiss long enough to look at him with hope, love, and relief shining in her eyes. He gasped when she hugged him tightly once more. She buried her face in his shoulder, tears of joy rolling down her face.

"I'm so thankful…so thankful. If Chiyo-baasan hadn't been there…" she broke off as he kissed her roughly, his tenderness replaced with urgency. She knew how he felt, because she felt the same way. She let her hands wander, as she had so many times before. She could feel the evidence of his desire for her…what her words had done to him. She smiled into their kiss and moaned, making him shiver.

"When I saw you there, crying, I thought you were crying for her. It made me feel…weird. I was jealous…I didn't know how you had mourned for me when I was dead." He confessed, licking her jaw and then suckling her earlobe. She moaned again and squirmed a little, making him hiss in pleasure. He felt her rake her nails across his back and he nearly lost it. She only did that to him when she was hot and he knew it would be a long night for them both. A smirk crept its way onto his face…he had no problems with giving her what she wanted. He leaned down so that she could hear his next words, "I'll give you a better reason to scream my name…"

Sakura gasped at his seductive growl, at his brazen words. He usually wasn't this forward with her when they made love…and it was making love. There was nothing impersonal or unemotional about him when he touched her. He loved her, she knew that…and she loved him and he damn well knew it. She had proved it in front of countless shinobi the day he had been revived by Elder Chiyo.

She felt him hovering over her and looked up at him. His beautiful jade eyes stared down at her, the black markings having dwindled down to almost nothing, though they would always be evidence of his years spent as Shukaku's container. She reached up and touched his face, thankful that he was here with her once more. He put his hand over hers and stared down at her. Suddenly, a sly smirk appeared on his face. She arched one pink brow at him. "What are you smirking at, Gaara-kun?" she asked suspiciously, her eyes narrowing on him. He looked at her and couldn't help the smile that formed from the smirk.

"That day…when Chiyo-baasan revived me. I thought you were crying because she had died…but then, when you had laid her down, you walked up to me, your tears still falling. You looked at me and I could see the pain, grief and relief in your eyes, on your face." He noticed she turned a little pink and she looked at his chest, drawing a small pattern there. They had never talked about that day, or what had prompted it. They had just quietly started seeing one another and were shy around each other.

"I thought that you were going to check me over, being as you're a medic nin. Instead, you slapped me in the face and yelled at me for being careless with my own safety. Then, you fell into my arms, bawling. I had no idea what to do…you told me that when you had seen me lying on the floor, dead, that your heart had died with me. I couldn't believe it…I didn't, at first. Not until Naruto told me that you had been hurt badly in the past and for you to confess something like that, in front of so many people, you had to be in love with me." Gaara nibbled at the edge of her lip, remembering the more happy part of their past together. Sakura smiled as another tear fell down her cheek.

Gaara reached up and licked her tears away. He whispered to her, telling her that it was alright, that he was here. He showed her with his body how much he loved her, how much he appreciated her. He heard her moans as he gently prepared her for another round of lovemaking. His fingers gently probed her, his lips caressing her neck. The duel pleasure was driving her insane. She could feel the coil of her desire winding up tightly in her belly. He made his way from her neck to her ear, where he whispered three words that sent her over the edge. Those three, simple words meant the world when coming from him.

She sobbed in pleasure, her head thrashing and her hips jerking as he let her ride out her orgasm. She stiffened as the final wave rushed over her, and then she dropped to the bed, drained. She could hear his deep, throaty purr and could just see the smug smile on his face. She didn't have the energy, or the initiative, to knock him down a peg or two. After her nightmare, all she wanted to do was feel him and if she had to put up with a little smugness on his part, then so be it. She felt him take her hand and lead it to his throbbing member. She caressed it, stroked it exactly how she knew he liked. She could feel him getting bigger the longer she touched him.

She shivered at the knowledge that, very soon, all that power and heat would be inside her. She moaned again and led him to her entrance. She felt him rub himself against her several times and then begin working his length into her. As many times as they had made love, it still blowed his mind how tight she was. He knew that she was made for him…their bodies the perfect match for the other, their hearts knowing what loneliness was like, and their souls searching for one another. They were, in every sense, soul mates.

Sakura gasped as he slid into her a little more, making her feel completely full of him. She bit her lip as she felt him pushing into her a little more. She knew he still had a few more inches before she sheathed him completely. There was nothing like feeling him inside her…no one could possibly be better than him…no one. She could feel his hot breath against her shoulder, could hear the accelerated beat of his heart. He thrust into her completely, causing her to make an indiscernible sound. She felt his smirk against her shoulder and knew that one noise had sealed her fate.

She felt him almost completely withdraw, only to slam back into her, making her scream lightly. He did it again and she almost screamed her lungs out. She knew he would continue until she did scream and woke everyone in the house up. She felt him retreat again and decided to give him a small taste of his own medicine. When he thrust into her again, she bit into his shoulder, surprising him.

She heard his gasp as she sank her small, white teeth into his unprotected shoulder. There was nothing malicious in the act, only intense pleasure. Something inside Gaara snapped when he felt her bite him like that. Sense abandoned him and he started pounding into her so quickly that it bordered inhuman. He intertwined his fingers with hers, pinning her to the bed as his larger frame covered hers. He whispered naughty things in her ears as he furiously made love to her. He felt her wrap her legs around his waist, making his penetration even deeper than before. Both hissed, but Sakura was past all intelligent thought.

Gaara buried his face in her neck, whispering things to her that made her hotter and hotter. He could tell from her gasping breaths that she was getting close. He could feel the spring in his own gut that was ever tightening. Gaara knew she wouldn't be able to walk in the morning, or rather later today, but he was beyond caring at that point. She made him crazy in a good way…and that was infinitely better than the bad way. He felt her body stiffen under him and she screamed his name over and over as he continued to pump in and out of her. He knew his personal guard would come running, and he would enjoy their faces when they realized what their Kazekage was doing.

He felt her inner muscles clamping down on him and he couldn't stop himself from spilling inside her. He growled, long and low, as his seed filled her. He could feel her body milking his and sighed in content. He allowed his body to rest on top of hers, his breathing heavy. He heard running footsteps and pulled the cover on top of them once more just in time to shield their nudity from the intruders.

"Kazekage-sama? Are you alright!?" The frantic inquiry made Sakura giggle. Now that she was fully sated, she was fully silly as well. She looked over at the guards with sated, sleepy eyes. All of them blushed and looked at the floor. They still weren't used to the woman being in Gaara's bed. They apologized and quickly exited the room, leaving the couple in bliss. Sakura looked up at Gaara lazily and giggled.

"Do you think they will ever get used to us being married, Gaara-kun?" she asked sleepily. Gaara nuzzled her and rolled off of her, curling his body around hers. She felt one hand linger on her thigh, and the other rest on her stomach. She wondered if he somehow knew what she wanted to tell him. She felt him bury his face in her neck once more. It was now or never to let him know. "Gaara-kun…when you touch me…do you feel anything strange?" she asked shyly. He knew something was going on. They hadn't been shy with one another in years. He lifted above her and looked down at her body, which was only slightly covered by the sheets on their bed.

His eyes narrowed as he thought about what she may be trying to imply. He looked down at her carefully. He saw her short, rose colored hair, emerald green eyes, soft smile, delicate shoulders, full breasts, slightly rounded belly…his breath caught as he recalled that Sakura had always had a tone body. His eyes widened as he looked at her. He gently turned her over so that she was looking up at him. There was fear and uncertainty in her eyes. He could only sit there and stare. "You…we…" he stuttered quietly. Sakura nodded and put her hand over his on top of her stomach. "When?" he breathed out the question, shock still making it hard for him to talk. Sakura blushed and sat up in the bed. Gaara sat up with her, careful not to jar her in any way. Sakura smiled inwardly at his subconscious gesture.

"I just found out today, when I made my rounds. One of the jonin made the mistake of asking me if I had gained weight. My first reaction was a fist to the face, followed by a crying fit, and then I threw up on his sandals. I don't think the poor guy will ever be the same." She saw the scowl on her husband's face and shook her head. "My love, I think I scared him so badly that he will never talk to me again. I don't think you need to punish him as well." She chided him. She saw his eyes soften the moment she called him her 'love'. She knew he loved hearing her say that she loved him.

"He will keep his life, even though he insulted you. But he will get a very boring border patrol job after his next mission." He grumbled as he lay back down in bed. Sakura followed and put her head on his shoulder, sighing in content. She nuzzled him, loving how she could without worrying about being rejected.

"I love you, Gaara-kun…" she whispered to him as she fell into a deep sleep. Gaara pulled her closer to him, his hand placed protectively over her stomach. He nuzzled the back of her neck and closed his eyes.

"I love you too…Sakura-chan…" he murmured quietly and followed the woman he loved into the land of dreams.


End file.
